To have DD on reins rather than in a car or pram?

[MrsTerrysChocolateOrange]

I have had two 'dog' comments recently from people seeing DD using reins. One was very good-natured. The other, not so much. So, I've been looking around. I think the reason that no one needs reins is not that their DCs are well behaved, listen to them and are all round angelic. I think it's because you rarely if ever see toddlers walking anywhere. They always seem to be in prams or in cars.

DD loves to run around but is a bolter. She doesn't listen about roads and was an early walker so didn't really understand about cars when she started. She is getting better but is still prone to bolting if she sees a dog/squirrel/shiny thing. She also hates to have her hand held all the time, which is one of the other suggestions. I want to know, are all the DCs amazing, well-behaved, road avoiding wonders or are they just all strapped into prams all day?

[OscarPistoriusGirlfriend]

YANBU. Ds2 has a little life back pack for this very reason. Better on reins than under a car.

[TidyGOLDDancer]

YANBU to use reins. People who are against them are just plain ridiculous. There is no argument anti-reins that actually stands up.

[SarahStratton]

Reins are fantastic, they are wankers so just ignore them.

[WorraLiberty]

YANBU, it's much better to walk and wear reins...ignore the stupid comments.

The only advice I would give you through my own experience (and looking around me on the school run!) is to get your child used to holding your hand whether she likes it or not.

You're the boss. She shouldn't get to decide/win with a tantrum because she won't be wearing reins forever so she'll need to learn this.

[MrsTerrysChocolateOrange]

Better on reins than under a car Good point. An older woman who had been a nurse for 40 years and had that point too.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

YANBU

Some don't need reins (neither of mine did), but I wouldn't hesitate to use them with a keen walker who hadn't got road sense and wouldn't hold hands.

DS1 hated hold hands but was a dawdler. DS2 used to run everywhere but loved to hold hands.

[TidyGOLDDancer]

I hope I'm not going to upset anyone by saying this, but I think there is a MNer whose family suffered tragic consequences from not using reins. I can't remember who told the story, but it's always stuck with me. :(

[MrsTerrysChocolateOrange]

Yes Worra I make her hold my hand crossing roads, reins or no reins. No argument there.

[RedBlanket]

I used them with my DTs, they would have been in the pram till yet were 5 otherwise. Ignore them, they obviously didn't have a bolter.

[scarlettsmummy2]

I used them regularly with my first daughter, she hated them but hated the buggy more so we persevered! I plan to use them again with my second daughter! Hope I can find some that don't say 'princess' on then this time!

[MrsTerrysChocolateOrange]

TidyGOLDDancer I hope I haven't upset anyone.

[comedycentral]

The little life bags are a great subsitute for old fashioned reigns and I have never had a negative comment whilst using it. My toddler is a bolter too and he hates holding hands.

[comedycentral]

Oh no that's tragic.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

I suppose it's like any safety device, though, they are there to tide you over while you train them



Actually, The Dog Whisperer would be great a training toddlers, IMO (minus the electric shock collar)

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

Tidy

That is sad, but IME, most people don't use reins nowadays. It's quite rare to see them

[TidyGOLDDancer]

OP, I'm sure you haven't. I have repeated the story myself in RL to shoot down any negative comments.

My DD is a runner. She would be much less active without reins as we wouldn't be able to keep her totally safe without them.

[Fozzleyplum]

My DS2 was a bolter, so I had reins and they were brilliant. Ignore anyone who says otherwise.

By the way, he remained a bolter long after he was too big for reins, so I had a wrist strap. Once he was much more reliable, I kept the strap in my pocket as a threat/deterrent in case he reverted to his old bolting habits.

[TidyGOLDDancer]

Yes, definitely rarer than when I was a child (in the 80s). But I'm always pleased to see them being used because they are, literally, life savers.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

The other way to do it if they hate the buggy is to take the buggy and put them straight in it if they refuse to hold on to the handle.

[purplehouse]

Ignore all negative comments and keep your child safe. Some Reins can also be used to strap child into supermarket trolley where no belt is provided.

[Softlysoftly]

DD1 thinks its fun to play chase, she has a little lead on a backpack, I like our lead :)

[MrsTerrysChocolateOrange]

What I find with the buggy is that she wants to push it around and it is far easier to just have her walk everywhere on the reins. She eats like a horse another animal analogy and I am convinced that it is because she does so much exercise.

I know some children don't bolt but I don't have a leg clinger I tried her in a massive, fenced park once to see how far she would run if I let her. All the way to the fence, it turns out.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

I used to get DS1 to speed up a bit and not examine every dog poo by giving him a toy buggy to push around. Got negative comments about that too (Thomas the Tank Engine loved to ride in that buggy)

[xkcdfangirl]

yanbu - I personally think it's much better to have a toddler walking on reins than slouched in a pram not using their legs when they are perfectly capable of walking, but I don't make snide comments to the mums who choose to strap their 4y-o into a pram and I don't expect them to make comments to me with a 2y-o on reins. No the angelic DC who walks completely safely holding hands all the way and never runs off does not exist. Ignore the comments.

[redwhiteandblueeyedsusan]

ds still has reins.. at 4 even though he has started school... stops him getting squashed by a bus as he is still quite happy to run at full tilt without looking here he is going.. and would think nothing of running into the road.

he also refuses to walk.. he has ben knon to be put in the pushchair if I can't physically carry him, and hold dd's hand to prevent her from falling as she is hypermobile.

tough.. had a few comments in the playground.. so what.. he is still alive to wear the reins to get the comments..